Morning journal and courier., 1887-04-16
OLD HIRAM,S CASE.

States DfspassIOnately and Candldly
 its Position With Reference 50 the
 Grand Lodges Alleged Arbitrary
 and Unconstitutional AssumPtiOn
 of POwer-A Copy of old HIram's
 Ancient Charter.
 The statement of Hiram lodge No. 1, F. & A. M, of it's position with reference to the Grand lodge was prepared by Herbert E. Benton, Wm. A. Wright, Julius Twiss, James D. Dewell and Lynde Harrison, and is addressed to the fraternity of the State. It is to let the brother Masons in the State under stand Hiram's exact position in the case
 Hiram deplores the disagreement and is ready now and ever has been ready to vel
 come a compromise honorable to Hiram and
 Masonry's best interests. Any words spoken
 in haste or the heat of debate are regretted
 The trouble with the Grand lodge, it is stated,
 arises from its undue assumption of power to
 interfere with and change the ancient form
 of work in Hiram lodge, g form of work
 handed down from generation to generation
 and sanctioned bymany years of use not only in the Blue lodge, but in the Grand lodge itself. Hiram believing that the Grand lodge was exceeding it's powers declined to submit. For this the Grand lodge has at | tempted to dispose of OldHiram's officers and | to put certain of the members as we'll as the | lodge itself on trial and threatening revo- | cation of the lodge charter.
 Old Hiram maintains that it's position is l right Masonically legally and dconstitutlonally Here is the issue. The statement further arraigns the Grand lodge for sanetioning for years Hiram's form Aofrr nd mnch younger lodges in using other and different forms, and now attempting to alter Hiram s form of work The Masons of the State are appealed to and asked why Hiram lodge is not entitled to as much consideration in the matter as any other lodge. What equity, what justice is there in subjecting her to punishment and leaving others unpunished, especially when Hiram has, as is claimed, the right and constitutionality of the case. Ill ram appeals to the fair play spirit of all in the case.
 But Hiram, the statement sets forth, is not begging for favor. She stands squarely on the issue that she is right The statement now sets forth the well known fact that Free Masonry is composed of blue lodges which have existed from a time in the far distant past, while grand lodges are comparatively new thing. For instance, "Old Hiram" ante dates the Grand lodge of Connecticut many years and when she consented to the forma- tion of the latter body it was upon the ex-
 press constitutional provision that it should confine it's work to experimenting the gene ral policy of Masonry in the State according to the ancient usage of Masons, carefully re- garding the old landmarks, which are on no account to be removed or defaced."
 But, as all Masons know, grand lodges are prone to assume unconstitutional power and dictation. Various of the powers assumed by grand lodges are now set forth and the statement appeals to Masons if it is safe to allow grand lodges such power as they assume It is set forth
 that it is not only unsafe, but dangerous
 and inimical to Masonry's best interests.
 This assumption of power has been by accre-
 tion, by slow growth which the blue lodges
 have passively submitted to, but which have
 no lawful sanction. A crying evil in the
 Grand lodge is then set forth There has grown up in it's midst element so strong as to be at the present time almost if not ab- solutely it's ruling power, which is non, n,rep- resentative and at the same time irresponsi- ble. Possessing a life tenure representing nobody but themselves, and responsible to nobody, the men composing this element have managed to secure potential an inf1u- ence in the body as to make it at all times practically subservient to their wishes. Against the rule of an oligarchy Hiram lodge will ever protest.
 The statement appeals strongly to the Ma sons of the State to note and observe the sit uation and the questions at issue. They point to the Grand lodge as having assumed arbitrary power. The Masons should be | alive to the case, as it concerns one and all. | Hiram takes the stand it does out of sense
 of duty and for the good of the order and of
 the whole order. She feels that now is the
 time to decide the question at issue. The present is the time to test whether the pow CT which created the Grand lodge is to be sustained by the Grand lodge or unreasona ply dictated to, and now is the time to test the question whether the Blue lodges here
 have any rights which the Grand lodge is ! bound to respect. With sincere respect and deference and true fraternal feeling Hiram | hnoite ifc